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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29716914">(Not quite) A Wild Flower</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnproblematicMe/pseuds/UnproblematicMe'>UnproblematicMe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Prompt Fics [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman &amp; Terry Pratchett</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Canon Divergence, Destruction, Hopeful Ending, Sad Ending, post world ending, they did go to alpha centauri (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:28:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>774</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29716914</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnproblematicMe/pseuds/UnproblematicMe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A morning walk in a changed world.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Prompt Fics [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2300141</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Good Omens Fic Writers Workshop: Weekly Prompts</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>(Not quite) A Wild Flower</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for the weekly prompt. This week: Flowers</p><p>Yes, the tags say "hopeful ending" and "sad ending". But for one, those aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, for two, it depends on how you look at it, really.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Slowly the world woke up. A little summer breeze rushed through the tent. The tarpaulin rustled with the movement of the wind, having Aziraphale look up from his book.</p><p>After placing a bookmark, Aziraphale sat, smiling at the still sleeping demon next to him. They had arrived last night and Crowley had put so much effort in the tent. He deserved a little more rest.</p><p>But Aziraphale wanted to explore a bit.</p><p>As soon as he stood, the radio started playing. The machine’s way of greeting, Aziraphale suspected. Knowing that it would not disturb Crowley’s sleep, Aziraphale left it running. It had no antenna, but it played music anyway. It simply offered a memory. A memory worth a nostalgic smile or two.</p><p>Aziraphale found the sandwiches Crowley had made for him. Warmth blossomed in his chest as he saw how much love and care Crowley had put into it.</p><p>After breakfast, Aziraphale pushed aside the flap of the tent and blinked into the still rising sun. Stepping out, he took in a deep breath of fresh air.</p><p>The morning light was reflected by the shining Bentley. She was parked closer to the tent opening than Aziraphale recalled from the night before. Like a guardian.</p><p>Aziraphale patted her bonnet.</p><p>“Good girl,” he whispered before walking further.</p><p>Nature had reclaimed the area fully, the few traces of man-made structures covered in verdant greenery and broken beyond repair. The meadow stretched out to a wood in the north and to the south Aziraphale spotted a lake. To the west lay the rough road which had led them here. Only in the east, below the early sun, a small hill blocked Aziraphale’s sight.</p><p>Driven more by habit than hope, Aziraphale climbed up and let his eyes wander over the other side. At the hill’s feet lay the remains of a small village, long abandoned and overgrown by wildflowers in various bright colours.</p><p>Aziraphale allowed himself a moment to enjoy the untamed beauty of it all. The rough and unyielding stone, embraced and brightened by the vibrant vegetation, all underneath a clear blue sky with the birds singing in the air – perfect. Almost perfect.</p><p>With a sigh Aziraphale decided to go back before Crowley would get worried. But just as he turned, his eyes caught something. Another flower it was, behaving just like the others. And yet it was not the same.</p><p>“Crowley!” Aziraphale called over his shoulder. “Crowley!”</p><p>Then, without waiting for a response, he rushed down the hill.</p><p>The flower in question grew along the remains of a stonewall, a little offside. But still close enough to the others for Aziraphale to have mistaken it for one of them at first.</p><p>It was a blush rose.</p><p>Aziraphale did not know as much about plants as Crowley did. But he was sure that this was not a wildflower, though it definitely looked like it had been allowed to grow freely for a while. However, it would not have blossomed here by itself.</p><p>When Crowley finally arrived, Aziraphale shared these thoughts with him and Crowley nodded.</p><p>“Yes, someone must have planted it,” he said hesitantly. “But if we look at the rest of the village…”</p><p>“I know,” Aziraphale sighed. “It’s horrible. We shouldn’t have left.”</p><p>“We had to, Aziraphale! You and I could have been permanently destroyed. <em>They</em> are in Heaven or Hell now.”</p><p>“No, not all of them” Aziraphale said, firm and resolved. “They are still here.” He pointed at the flower. “This is proof.”</p><p>“Aziraphale! Yes, someone must have planted it. But this is a robust one. If the conditions are good…”</p><p>“The conditions were apocalyptic, Crowley,” Aziraphale interrupted. “Literally so.”</p><p>Crowley sighed.</p><p>“Why can’t we sense them then?” he asked.</p><p>“Armageddon changed a lot in the power structure, maybe that influences our senses,” Aziraphale said. “Or maybe they just found a way to hide from our kind. We couldn’t blame them.”</p><p>“I guess…”</p><p>“They are nothing if not resourceful,” Aziraphale went on with quivering lips.  “They must be somewhere. They can’t be gone. Not them. She wouldn’t…”</p><p>His voice broke as he sank to his knees in front of the flower.</p><p>Only seconds later, he felt Crowley’s hands on his shoulder.</p><p>“It’s alright, angel,” Crowley soothed him. “We’ll find them. You’re right. They are smart, and tougher than they look. Come on, we’ll check the remains of the houses for clues.”</p><p>Sniffling, Aziraphale nodded and allowed Crowley to help him up. Arm in arm they went for the ruins of the nearest house.</p><p>“I’m sorry to make such a fuss, dear.”</p><p>“It’s okay!”</p><p>“I just love them so much.”</p><p>“I know, angel. I know.”</p><p> </p><p>The End</p><p> </p>
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